The British Minister Without Portfolio, Arthur Greenwood, was assigned the task of study of reconstruction and war problems.

(Times, Jan. 7, 1941, p. 15.)

8 January 1941

JAPANESE FIELD SERVICE CODE ADOPTED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT

" The purpose of this code lies in providing concrete rules of conduct, in the light of past experience, so that those in the zone of combat may wholly abide by the Imperial Rescript to enhance the moral virtues of the Imperial Army. " See doc.

9 January 1941

REFUGEE PROBLEM IN FRANCE A NOTE SENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE CORDELL HULL TO GASTON HENRY-HAYE, FRENCH AMBASSADOR

" The view of the French Government is noted that the recent migration to French unoccupied territory of thousands of refugees of German nationality and the Jewish religion has seriously aggravated the difficulties of the French Government. " See doc.

10
January 1941

German‑Russian agreements on barter and border matters signed at Moscow.

Secretary of State Hull advocated H. R. 1776 (lend-lease bill) before House Committee on Foreign Affairs

.
(Bulletin, Vol. V, No., 82, p. 89. Cf. Peace, p. 618.)

15 January 1941

STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

"We are here to consider a bill designed to promote the defense of the United States. " See doc.

16 January 1941

Secretary of War Stimson testified for the lend‑lease bill.

("Instead of being able leisurely to pick and choose and deliberately to arm ourselves, relying upon the then existing stability on the other side of the Atlantic, we are not only compelled to arm ourselves entirely by our own efforts but to do so at the very time when it is imperative that our American industry and plants should be working at top speed to furnish vital weapons of defense to Great Britain in order that she may meet the crisis which is confronting her this spring and summer, and thus preserve her fleet as a bulwark in the Atlantic Ocean." Times, Jan., 17, 1941, p. 7.)

("All of the articles and materials covered by what has
generally been referred to as the 'moral embargo' are included in the list of
articles and materials now subject to the export‑license system." Bulletin,
Vol. IV, No. 83, p: 107. Cf. Feb. 19, 1940, supra.)

21 January 1941

ADDRESS OF PRINCE FUMIMARO KONOYE, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN, DELIVERED BEFORE THE 76TH SESSION OF THE IMPERIAL DIET

Tokyo, Japan. " Japan is now confronted with an emergency unparalleled in her long history. " See doc.

21 January 1941

ADDRESS BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF JAPAN, YOSUKE MATSUOKA, DELIVERED BEFORE THE 76TH SESSION OF THE IMPERIAL DIET

Tokyo, Japan. " Needless to say, the aim of Japan's foreign policy is that of enabling all nations of the world each to take its own proper place, in accordance with the spirit of the Hakko Ichiu, the very ideal which inspired the foundation of our Empire. " See doc.

Marshal Pétain decreed all high officials should be personally responsible to the Chief of State.

("Responsibility is made effective by engaging the man who
accepts it to the extent of his liberty, his property, and his life." Times, Jan. 28, 1941, p. 10.)

27 January 1941

Ambassador Grew telegraphed from Tokyo:

"A member of the Embassy was told by my . . . colleague that from many quarters, including a Japanese one, he had heard a surprise mass attack on Pearl Harbor was planned by the Japanese military forces, in case of `trouble' between Japan and the United States; that the attack would involve the use of all the Japanese military facilities. My colleague said that he was prompted to pass this on because it had come to him from many, sources, although the plan seemed fantastic." Japan, Vol. II, p. 133.

30 January 1941

TEXT OF SPEECH BY CHANCELLOR ADOLF HITLER, AT BERLIN SPORTS PALACE

" Ordered by the present President Roosevelt, American scholars have investigated the cause of the World War and made sure that there could be no German guilt. " See doc.

31 January 1941

French Indochinese‑Thai armistice signed at Saigon.

(Japanese mediation. Ibid., Jan. 31, 1941, p. 8.)

31 January 1941

Under Secretary Summer Welles recommended lend‑lease.

(". . . in my judgment, the course which is least fraught with danger, and which is most likely to make it possible for the American people to stay out of war, is for this country to increase its production of armaments to such an extent as to make it possible for us to make available to Great Britain on an ever‑increasing scale the armaments which she requires in order successfully to continue her war of self‑defense." Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 84, p. 127.)

31 January 1941

The Regional Conference of the River Plate approved a draft convention suspending most‑favored‑nation treatment for products among Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

(". . . conceding preferential treatment to the products of Bolivia and Paraguay, providing at the same time that special concessions granted for Bolivian and Paraguayan products shall not be extended to the signatory countries or to third parties . . ." Times, Feb. 1, 1941; . p. 18) and a resolution recommending study of a customs union. Times,
p. 18.)